Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1887-11-17
MEXICO. MISSOURI, THURSDAY, NoyEMBER ~, 1891.

cient to convict him. Six police
officers swore that as he descended |
from the wagon he drew a revolver |
and fired on the police.
Parsons was a party to the drill
ing and other preparations Of the
general conspiracy. His speech
was furious Indictment to vio-
lence, addressed to men whom he
knew to be armed and with whom
he had drilled. He fourised re-
volver during his speech, and cried
several times: TO armsl'' The
call to the American armed group
to meet that night was in his hand
writing.
The Court found that the jury
were justified in believing that
Degan's death was the result of this
conspiracy. The main idea was to
throw bomb into each police sta
ton and then shoot down the police
men. This plan seemed to have
been disarranged by the appearance
of the police from the Desplaines
street station to disperse the meet
ing. The police decided to break
up the meeting. Fielden descend
ed from the wagon from which he
was speaking, saying, /" We are
peaceable. !" No sooner had Fielden
said, I'VE are peaeeable, than the
bomb exploded, and in a few sec
onds thereafter volley of shots
was fred The police were in a
solid mass. The two officers who
died of pistol wounds and the many
who were wounded could not have
been shot by the police. This is
the story of the conspiracy, very
briefly told.
| HOW THEY DIED.
All four men died hard, be-
ing strangled to death. Spies was as
white as marble, but firm as a
rock. Ever and anon he gulped
down his rising emotion. Fischer
stood stolidly erect and unmoved.
Engel looked entirely willing and
smiled. He turned to the Rev.
Mr.. Bolton, who stood behind him,
and whispered to him laughingly.
Parsons was very nervous, and
only by a tremendous effort kept
himself in control. There was a
delay of several minutes while
their feet were being pinioned and
then another in the deliberate adj
justing of the rope. Spies neck
was the first to receive the embrace
of the hemp. His white face grew
perceptibly whittier, his lips were
compressed and shudder shot
through him from head to foot.
Engel and Fischer stood calmly in
their places, the former staring fix
edly upward, the latter smilingly
whispering to Mr.. Bolton. When
the hangman had fitted Spies with
the moose he turned to Fischer, and
found the adjustment easier. Fisch-
er inclined his head to receive the
fatal circle, then stood stiffly while
it was being tightened. Engel ac-
cepted his with stolid indifference.
Parsons shuddered when his turn
came, but bit his lips until he had
regaired his self-possession. He,
too, twisted his neck slightly as if
to relieve the pressure.
/ The executioner placed the white
cap over Spies and shut his last
! glimpse of earth away. Stimuli
taneously the assistant drew the
mask over Engel. 1t took but a
| few seconds to fasten the springs,
and two misshapen dummies stood
in the place of what had been two
| men. The faces of Fischer and
Parsons were next hidden. While
the caps were being adjusted on
these there was movement OF
Spies cap, and in weak but clear
tones he exclaimed:
!, any death is more powerful
than my life"
Then Engel exclaimed: "This is
the happiest moment of my life. =
A moment later all the caps were
adjusted. The executioner led the
four forward. They stepped out
firmly and stood erect. Then
Spies cried out.
4 .sHurrah for Anarchy!'
7 HHurrah for Anarchyi" echoed
/ Fischer.
"This is the happiest moment Of
; our lives1" reiterated Engel.
] The executioner took careful
| survey of the awful group standing
there like so many sacks of corn
and slipped quietly behind the
] wooden screw.
Parsons lips moved, Hear,
oh, men of America, ? he exclaimed
i in low quivering tones, ssand know
} that the will of the people" The
Il sentence was never finished. There
) was dull blow as of hammer
: falling upon hollow wood, sinking
of the great trap upon its hinges, q
t lurch forward and downward of the
four shapes, a drop and sharp
i jerk, which made the stout beams
: tremble.
The wages of sin had been paid
in death.
There was a clash of body against
) body and swing as of four pen
dulums; then the bodies of the
murdarers were still-stili only for